RAD9A promotes metastatic phenotypes through transcriptional regulation of anterior gradient 2 (AGR2).

RAD9A plays an important role in prostate tumorigenesis and metastasis-related phenotypes. The protein classically functions as part of the RAD9A-HUS1-RAD1 complex but can also act independently. RAD9A can selectively transactivate multiple genes, including CDKN1A and NEIL1 by binding p53-consensus sequences in or near promoters. RAD9A is overexpressed in human prostate cancer specimens and cell lines; its expression correlates with tumor progression. Silencing RAD9A in prostate cancer cells impairs their ability to form tumors in vivo and migrate as well as grow anchorage independently in vitro. We demonstrate herein that RAD9A transcriptionally controls AGR2, a gene aberrantly overexpressed in patients with metastatic prostate cancer. Transient or stable knockdown of RAD9A in PC-3 cells caused downregulation of AGR2 protein abundance. Reduced AGR2 protein levels were due to lower abundance of AGR2 mRNA. The AGR2 genomic region upstream of the coding initiation site contains several p53 consensus sequences. RAD9A bound specifically to the 5'-untranslated region of AGR2 in PC-3 cells at a partial p53 consensus sequence at position +3136 downstream from the transcription start site, determined by chromatin immunoprecipitation, followed by PCR amplification. Binding of RAD9A to the p53 consensus sequence was sufficient to drive AGR2 gene transcription, shown by a luciferase reporter assay. In contrast, when the RAD9A-binding sequence on the AGR2 was mutated, no luciferase activity was detected. Knockdown of RAD9A in PC-3 cells impaired cell migration and anchorage-independent growth. However, ectopically expressed AGR2 in RAD9A-depleted PC-3 cells restored these phenotypes. Our results suggest RAD9A drives metastasis by controlling AGR2 abundance.